Your First Look Scoop

Indecisive about whether or not to take your photos before the ceremony or after?We interviewed a few brides and grooms, and they chimed in on why they chose the non-traditional route.

Fake it until you make it may work in certain scenarios of your life, but not your wedding photos. Bride, Susannah Moore said, “The most important thing to me were photos of my husband and me. We had over an hour of just us!” This couple chose to capture the natural chemistry of their first look in private. When it’s just the two of you, there’s no holding back the excitement. You can’t fake that kind of emotion or response. When you’re in front of guests, you’re more worried about how you look, instead of who has your focus. Arealcandid shot is done when you think no one is looking. Plus, your makeup, hair, and wedding attire will already be freshly pressed and camera ready!

Also, time and money are two factors to consider when taking photos before the ceremony. These two reasons alone can make or break your event, including your bank. Andrew Smith who has served as a Best Man and a Groomsmen agreed with Brides, Amanda Winsor and Abby Kiker when they said, “There’s nothing worse than waiting around for hours at a wedding reception for the bride and groom to finally arrive.” A two-hour gap between the ceremony and reception may sound like enough time for your photos, but it’s an eternity for the guests who have traveled near and far to celebrate with you. Groom, Kristopher Kuss mentioned that, “It cost less to only keep the photographer through the ceremony. We took our first look and bridal party pictures before, so we could go straight to the reception.”

This brings us to our next point. It’s critical tobe on time. If anything runs late before your "First Look,'' you'll havelessportraits and everything will be pushed back. We mentioned the importance of awedding itinerary in our last blog. The same caveat applies. Ladies, make sure you have all the details with your wedding dress designer and makeup/hair stylist mapped out beforehand. Gents, make sure your tux is steamed the night before. Have your Best Man on site should you need someone to check your neck wear.The upside to all of this? Since most of your day will be catering to your guests, you can steal a moment away with your sweetheart, and actually spend timetogether. You'll stillget the aisle experience, and get to the party on time! It’s a double win when you plan ahead!

Still on the fence about this? Actress, Rebecca Yeager and her groom made an alternative choice to the “first look” approach. She chose to do a “blind conversation” look, where they stood on either side of a corner so they couldn’t see each other, but got to hold hands and check-in with one another. She said, “It was a really sweet moment, and these are some of my favorite pictures. We did joint pictures after, and it only took 30-45 minutes, because in the theatre world, you know how to make people move quickly and efficiently!” So, see? Even with the decision to do her photos this way, punctuality played a hugerolein her wedding. No pun intended.

Whether you choose the trendy or traditional style, we're honored to serve as your wedding photographer. What’s your opinion? How are you planning your first look? We’d love to hear from you!